Fate's Chain
by makatanarai14
Summary: Unpredictable things started to unfold.. chapter 4 updated
1. The Island

Disclaimer: I don't own Hunter X Hunter.. So please don't sue me..^_^ this story is just a figment of my imagination. All characters belong to Togashi Yoshihiro..^_^

**Warning: **May Contain Yaoi/ Shounen Ai stuff..

My first fanfic..^_^ expect everything.. haha.. on with the story..

**FATE'S CHAIN**

**Chapter 1:**

**The Island**

Its quarter past nine in the morning and the only thing that can be heard inside a spacious hotel room is water hitting the bathroom floor and the clock ticking.

The room is big enough to accommodate four people. The walls are painted white, and the floor is fully covered with brown, soft carpet. The room was bathe with sunlight penetrating through the glass window of the room. A sofa and 2 chairs were also located just in front of the television set, which is positioned at the right side of the bathroom door. There are two large beds inside the room; one bed is large enough to be occupied by two people. On the wall, 3 paintings were scattered; one hangs between the bed's headboards, the other one is placed above the table just beside the door and the last one is placed on the wall adjacent the window.

At quarter to ten, the occupant of the room slid open the bathroom door. He walked out of the bathroom and started to move towards the closet. Reaching the closet, he pulled out a set of fresh clothes; underpants, white trousers and black v-neck, long-sleeved shirt. When he finished putting on his garments, he walked a few paces and was now looking out the window, appreciatively observing the York Shin City view below. He raked through his waist-long blonde hair, trying to fix it in place.

He was staring into nothingness while his thin fingers fidgeted with his hair.

Today is the day he was looking forward to, because he and his friends would be reunited again. Coincidentally, exactly two years ago, he left his mortal enemy, Kuroro Lucifer somewhere on top of a canyon range.

He was pulled back into reality when his cell phone alarmed, signifying that he has to go already. He hurriedly put on his socks and shoes and snatched the keycard, cell phone, wallet and a rubber band from the bedside table. He walked towards the door and opened it, he glanced back, checking if he missed or forgot something before totally shutting the door behind him.

He briskly walked towards the elevator and pushed the 'down' button. The blonde had to wait patiently for the elevator doors to open because his room was located on the twelfth floor of the hotel building.

Once the doors opened, he stepped right inside the elevator car and pushed the '1' button. The doors closed and the car started to descend. He knows that it takes a few minutes to descend from the twelfth floor to the first floor so he made use of that time to tie his hair into a ponytail. His ponytail was almost perfectly clean, with only a few strands sticking out of place, his bangs falling in front of his eyes, covering almost the upper half of the azure orbs. His side bangs were long enough to cover his ears, thus covering his left earring. He looked more like a lady rather than a man because of his hair accompanied by his lithe build and feminine facial features.

The elevator doors once again opened; a sign that he already reached his floor destination. He moved out and walked towards the exit of the building. A hotel staff called a cab for him, held the door open until the boy is already inside the cab. After the hotel staff closed the door, the blonde nodded as a sign of gratitude.

"To the Airport please." Kurapika said hastily.

The cab driver nodded as acknowledgement and began to drive in the not-so-busy street. There wasn't too many vehicles traveling that time so the ride was continuous and smooth. After 15 minutes, they've already reached the airport. Kurapika brought out his wallet and paid the driver.

"Thank you ma'am!" was the response of the cab driver.

"_WTH? Hey! I'm not a lady! "_He complained inside his mind but before he could voice it out loud, he managed to force a fake smile for the old man. He didn't feel like arguing about his gender right now because he is far too much excited to see his best friends.

He gracefully jumped out of the cab and ran to the airport's entrance.

The Kuruta entered the airport and positioned himself where he could easily spot new arrivals. He stood leaning on a pillar, with both his arms folded, and his right leg also folded, sole against the wall.

He waited for several more minutes until he could finally see three familiar figures from a distance; Gon, Killua and Leorio.

Gon is the smallest of the three. He has big brown eyes and spiky black hair. He also has wild animal instincts.

Killua on the other hand was a bit taller than Gon. He has sharp, mysterious black eyes, and silver hair that surely attracts attention as it was an uncommon hair color. He is an ex-assassin from the famous Zoaldyeck family.

Leorio is the tallest of them. He looked far older than the three of them. He has black hair and he wore circular tinted eyeglasses. He is a medical student, aspiring to be doctor.

The three familiar figures, carrying their luggage were nearing his position and when they were just a few feet away, Gon stopped walking. The smallest boy sniffed the air around in a canine-like manner. Killua frowned at Gon's actions and eventually hit the smaller boy's back of the head.

"Hey Gon! Why are you sniffing like a dog? You're embarrassing, really!" Killua growled.

"I could smell Kurapika's scent... It's near but I can't see him! " Gon said while massaging the back of his head

The three of them looked around the airport lobby. They saw 2 children running around on their left; Parents scolding the 2 children; an old lady sitting by the bench; a couple talking casually at the far left end of the lobby; a 'lady' with long blonde hair, leaning on a pillar who is eyeing them through her sunglasses; the passengers that are exiting who were aboard the same plane they were in minutes ago; 2 guards standing at the airport's entrance and ground crews scattered all over the lobby.

"He's not here. He must be waiting outside, so come on, let's go." Leorio said.

They passed by the 'lady' who was now eyeing them with shocked eyes. They hurried to the exit and squeezed their way out. They looked around again but they saw no Kurapika.

"Where is he? He said he'd be here in the airport before we arrive." Gon asked his companions.

Killua brought out his cell phone, turned it on and dialed Kurapika's number. It was ringing but the owner of that number is not answering the call.

* * *

Kurapika saw his three friends stop on their tracks. He laughed when he saw Gon sniffed like a dog and the silvered haired boy suddenly hit the smaller boy's head, and then his friends looked around the lobby. He was about to go where they were standing but the three suddenly hurried to the exit. He was stunned by their action so he wasn't able to move for a few seconds.

The realization hit him. His friends didn't recognize him at all. "_Maybe because my hair is long and they haven't seen me like this before,_" he thought to himself as he sighed. Then his phone rang, and the screen flashed Killua's name. He didn't answer it. He decided to exit the airport and follow his friends instead.

Kurapika came out of the airport with his hands still folded. The blonde saw his friends looking around again, then he decided to walk towards where they were standing. When he was still several feet away from them, he shouted "Hi!" and waved his hand at them.

The three turned to where the voice came from to see who uttered the greeting. They were shocked to see the young 'lady' they saw earlier beaming, while walking towards them.

"Who is she?", asked Killua and Gon in unison.

"She looks familiar though.", Killua continued.

"I don't know. But she's pretty. Maybe I'll get to know her right now!", Leorio said maniacally.

The trio walked to meet the 'lady' halfway. When they were just a few feet away, Leorio came to a halt and beamed at the 'lady'.

"Hello pretty lady! I'm Leorio. What's your na-". But before he could finish his sentence, Kurapika already kicked his chin.

"I know your name you twerp! And what's with the 'pretty lady' huh?" Kurapika retorted violently.

The kick shocked Leorio, which led to his luggage being sprawled of the ground. His eyesight blurred at the shock. His brows furrowed. He narrowed his eyes and tried to focus on the figure in front of him. When his eyesight cleared, he saw the 'lady' not wearing the sunglasses anymore, and 'her' side bangs were tucked behind her left ear._ "This person looks familiar…cerulean eyes, blonde hair, left earring... Kurapika! ", _he thought as his eyed widened in shock.

"Ku.. Ku.. Kur.. Kura…" stuttered Leorio.

"Spit it out old man!" Kurapika said demandingly.

As Leorio stuttered and stare at Kurapika with wide eyes, Gon and Killua tried to suppress their laughs and eventually failed. They were enjoying the look on Leorio's panic-stricken face. Kurapika wanted to laugh with the two boys because Leorio's face was horribly twisted and hilarious. But Kurapika managed to stop himself and maintained his serious and angry façade.

"Ku.. Kurapika…" Leorio said while his eyes are cast down on the ground and he was scratching a non-existent itch at the back of his head,

"I have never seen you this way before. I couldn't recognize you with that long hair and sunglasses of yours… It's easy to mistake you for a girl you know?", Leorio trailed off, eyes still cast down, face still twisted.

"He's.. hahaha... right Kurapika… hahaha… I also thought that you're a… hahaha… lady a while ago... hahaha.", Killua managed to say while laughing so hard.

Kurapika imitated Killua's action towards Gon earlier, and hit Killua's head with his hand.

Killua touched the spot where Kurapika had hit him, and felt that there's a small bump developing.

"Got anything to say Gon?", Kurapika hissed while looking at the smallest boy of the group.

"Nope." Gon answered instantly while smiling innocently.

"Good! Then let's go eat! I have already made a reservation for our lunch." Kurapika said as he and Gon started to walk already.

The blonde turned around, glared at Leorio and Killua, and said, " Hey are you coming or what?".

Leorio gathered the luggage and he and Killua followed Kurapika and Gon's lead, while massaging each of their injuries; Killua smoothing his head, and Leorio massaging his sore chin.

The four of them halted as they reach the waiting area for a cab. The cab stopped in front of them. Leorio stuffed their luggage in the cab's trunk and seated himself in the passenger seat. Killua, Kurapika and Gon occupied the backseat.

"Your destination please." asked the cab driver politely.

"The Island." Kurapika answered with equal politeness.

* * *

Behind the bushes that surround the airport, 2 pairs of eyes watched the group of four boys carefully and eagerly.

Whose eyes are those?

* * *

**NOTE: **So what can you say? Any violent reaction? Suggestion? Criticism? You can say anything you want to say.. it will be very much appreciated..^_^


	2. Jobs and Plans

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hunter X Hunter.. So please don't sue me..^_^ this story is just a figment of my imagination. All characters belong to Togashi Yoshihiro..^_^

**Warning: **May Contain Yaoi/ Shounen Ai stuff..

My first fanfic..^_^ expect everything.. haha.. on with the story..

**FATE'S CHAIN**

**Chapter 2:**

**Jobs and Plans**

It was a perfect day. The sun shines brightly, the blue sky is clear, the wind is blowing gently. It wasn't too hot or too cold either. It was a well balanced weather.

The cab stopped in front of a huge structure holding up the label "The Island". The exterior of the structure is unusual; it looked like a huge hill. The hill is of similar color as white sand on the beach. A group of artificial coconut tree stood on top of the hill, and a big beach chair beside the coconut trees.

"_It isn't called the Island for nothing" _Killua thought, while Gon and Leorio stared in awe.

They paid the driver and moved out of the car. Kurapika, Killua and Gon started to walk towards the entrance of the structure while Leorio retrieved the luggage from the cab's trunk. Soon after the retrieval, Leorio joined the three and made their way to the entrance.

A staff opened the door for them. Kurapika nodded as thanks to the staff. The blonde went inside first and gestured for the other three to follow him.

Killua, Gon and Leorio's eyes widened in shock and amazement as they looked around the interior of the structure.

The floor is flooded with water, which is continuously flowing from the far end of the building. There are white marble stones protruding from the water surface which can be concluded as a pathway. The walls were of the same color as the blue sky outside. The ceiling is open so that natural air can circulate. The sun light passed through the open ceiling, bathing the interior with rich, golden light. The effect of the golden sunlight on the inside of the structure was really breathtaking; the water appeared crystal clear, making it look like a stream of diamonds continuously flowing. The light perfectly accentuates the cerulean color of the walls. The white marble stones are in perfect contrast with the gleaming gold light.

As for the chairs and tables, black marble was used. The chairs and tables were mounted on a huge black marble slab which is elevated so that the water won't reach the tables and chairs.

They chose to occupy the table located at the far end of the restaurant. The table they chose was big enough for the four of them. They seated themselves comfortably while Kurapika called for the waiter. The waiter handed each of them the menu. They busied themselves as they browse the booklet handed to them.

"I would like to have 'Goddess of the Spring Soup' and 'Roast Chicken with mushrooms' please." Kurapika said tediously to the waiter.

"… Oh and 'Creamy Maple Mousse' for dessert. But please serve it later." Kurapika hastily added as he smiled to the waiter.

The waiter wrote Kurapika's order down on the paper he's clutching, then nodded and smiled at the blonde.

"I want 'Potato Cheese Chowder', 'Savory Rolled Rib Roast', and 'Chocolate-Eggnog Tortoni'." Killua said while pointing his orders to the waiter.

"As for me, I would like to have 'Shrimp Creole Soup', 'Salmon Steak with Crab Sauce', and 'Creamy Orange Tapioca with Pears'." Leorio told the waiter with excitement in his voice.

"Hmmm... I would like to order what he's having." Gon said as he pointed to Killua.

"And why is that?" asked the silver-haired boy, curiosity traceable in his voice.

The smallest boy smiled toothily and scratched the back of his head and said naively, "I don't really know what to order. I'm not familiar with these foods. They sound so complicated."

Kurapika smiled as Gon finished his statement, while Leorio laughed kindly at the boy's naivety.

Killua sighed and nodded at the waiter, confirming Gon's order to be same as his.

The waiter wrote down the orders. Once he was done, he bowed his head a bit and excused himself.

* * *

Two people jumped out from behind the trees and bushes; one was a man in his early twenties. His hair is brown and his eyes are somewhat shade of green. The other is a boy dressed in a kimono. The boy has shoulder length hair and his eyes are somewhat violet.

The older one fished out his cell phone from his pocket and dialed some numbers. He then placed the cell phone near his ear, while waiting for the other line to pick up. After two ring backs, the person owning the number he dialed already answered the phone call.

"Danchou! It's confirmed. The chain assassin's friends are here in York Shin City." The brown haired man exclaimed.

"Okay Shalnark. Come back here immediately with Kalluto. We will be planning for the attack," said the man on the other line.

"Okay Danchou, we'll be there in no time," Shalnark said while smiling toothily.

With that, the conversation on the phone ended. Shalnark pocketed his cell phone and gestured Kalluto to follow him.

The two of them suddenly jumped from tree top to tree top until they eventually vanished.

* * *

Kurapika felt that his hair is a bit messy now, so he pulled the rubber band, freeing his long blonde hair. His hair fell on his back gracefully and eventually slid down his shoulders.

He gathered his hair and fixed them gently in front of his left shoulder. While he was busy combing his hair with his hands, the waiter approached them carrying a tray with 4 glasses of water.

"Here's your water ma'am and sirs," the waiter said as he placed the glasses of water on the table.

He nodded at them and without another word, the waiter retreated again into the kitchen doors.

"What's up with that?" Kurapika said irritably.

"I told you, you look like a girl. Especially now that your hair is fixed like that. It's really easy to mistake you for a girl." Killua said while trying to suppress a laugh.

Kurapika glared at Killua, who in return just smiled sheepishly at him.

"Gender issues aside, how are you holding up on your job Kurapika?" Leorio asked casually.

"Well, I'm still the head bodyguard of Neon Nostrad, but for the time being, I was sent by Light Nostrad to the New Mafia Godfathers office. He said that the Godfathers wanted to employ me as one of the guards for the coming underground auctions." Kurapika told them in a small voice, intended for only them to hear.

"That's quite an interesting job. You have earned your reputation well as a top guard in the Mafia world." Killua said as he drank from his glass of water.

"That goes without saying. He killed two Ryodan members and managed to capture their leader," said Leorio in a proud voice.

"How about you three? What have you been doing lately?" Asked Kurapika while looking the three.

Leorio was the first to answer with his most boring voice.

"Still the same. Studying, studying, and more studying."

"Me and Killua are still trying to find clues about Gin's whereabouts." Gon said with his usual childish grin.

"Gon's father is really elusive. He never fails to erase his tracks." Killua blurted out.

"That's good to hear Leorio. Now that you're a hunter, finances will never be a problem for you so just study until you become a doctor." Said Kurapika in a mother-like manner.

"Well I hope you'll find a way to meet him someday. Surely, you and Killua will be able to corner Gin one way or another." He said while smiling reassuringly at the two younger boys.

The waiter once again reappeared now carrying their food. The waiter settled down their food on the table and retreated once again, disappearing behind the kitchen doors.

"Okay! Let's eat!" exclaimed Gon and Killua in unison.

Silence fell as they indulge themselves on their food. After a few spoonful of his soup, Kurapika suddenly spoke.

"So why did you insist on coming here in York Shin at this time of the year?"

"Beats me. Ask those two kids. I just tagged along because they said it will be our reunion." Leorio said as he helped himself another bowl of soup.

Kurapika raised an inquiring eyebrow at the two boys eating their meal happily.

"Well since you asked, we've also been hired to be guards for the auctions. We don't have anything to do anyway so we accepted the job offer." Killua managed to say while enjoying his delicious meal.

Gon on the other hand just smiled, nodded and munched on his food.

"What? You know that it is a very dangerous job! The Phantom Brigade might strike again since their leader is already free from my judgment chain. Why didn't you tell me earlier about this?" Kurapika said in a flustered manner.

"Because you won't allow us to take the job. You worry too much Kurapika. Relax. We'll take good care of ourselves out there." Killua answered trying to reassure Kurapika.

"And besides, we really wanted to see you. We're tired of seeing only OLD MAN LEORIO." He added, casting sideways glance at Leorio while a mischievous grin crept on his lips.

"Hey! I'm not an old man you brat! I'm just older than you!" complained Leorio.

Kurapika sighed and looked at his friends. Worry visible in his face.

"Kurapika, don't worry too much. We'll be fine. We promise you that we will be careful." Gon said softly as he squeezed Kurapika's hand gently.

Kurapika smiled and nodded. His worry is now forgotten because of Gon's words.

* * *

Kuroro Lucifer is sitting at the middle of their hideout; one of the floors of an abandoned building.

He sat in a slab of stone, reading a book.

Two familiar figures were approaching the entrance, their silhouette grew bigger and bigger by the second. When they've finally reached the entrance, Kuroro looked up and gestured for them to sit.

The other Spiders were already occupying their respective places. When the Spiders were all complete and have settled down, the Genei Ryodan leader placed his book in one of his coat pockets. He then crossed his legs and folded his arms across his chest.

"Shalnark lay down all the information you've gathered." The Genei Ryodan leader demanded.

"Yes Danchou!" replied Shalnark while a smile graced his youthful face.

"The chain assassin is currently employed by the Nostrad clan as the head bodyguard. But for the duration of the auctions, he will also be working for the Mafia Godfathers as a guard; probably he'll be guarding the auction halls and vaults." Said Shalnark informatively.

"His friends; the ones we caught two years ago, are also working as guards for the auctions. They would probably be deployed outside the building. His other friend however is not working as a guard. That one would probably stay at the hotel they've booked." Shalnark continued as the other Spiders listened carefully.

"Thank you Shalnark. I think that is all the information we need." Said Kuroro as he stood from his seat.

He placed his right hand in front of his mouth; like a thinking gesture. After minutes of silence, Kuroro finally spoke.

"The auction will begin at 7 pm. We attack by then."

"Kalluto, Feitan, Phinx and Nobunaga, you will be the distraction group. You three will have to raise a ruckus where the two kids will be deployed; probably the front gate. You could kill everyone in sight but the kids must stay alive."

"Shizuku and Franklin, you two will be backing up the distraction group. If the guards call for reinforcements, kill them all."

"I, Coltopi and Shalnark will be the infiltration group. We have to enter the building from another entrance. We won't use the entrance where the kids will be deployed. When we are already inside of the building, we find the vault immediately and steal the Scarlet Eyes. Kill everyone that gets in our way. Make sure that the chain assassin will see us as we escape with the Scarlet Eyes."

"I will lure the chain assassin. After you see me take my leave, knock the kids out and bring them here immediately."

"Machi and Bonorenof, you will be the ones to take care of the chain assassin's friend in the hotel. Bring him here alive."

"That is the plan. Any questions?" asked Kuroro while looking around at his subjects.

"Danchou why are we stealing the Scarlet Eyes only? Why not loot the entire vault like we usually do?" questioned Shizuku.

All the other Spiders turned their heads towards her and they were frowning at her. _"What a forgetful girl! Really!" _the other Spiders thought.

Kuroro sighed but nevertheless answered Shizuku's question.

"Shizuku, we are only after the Eyes because we want to lure the chain assassin and his friends here. Its too troublesome and time consuming if we raid the whole vault."

With that, the Spider head dismissed them.

* * *

After eating their desserts, they stayed seated on their chairs, waiting for the food they have just eaten to be properly digested.

"Oh I'm so full!" Gon exclaimed while rubbing his tummy.

"Yeah me too! They serve really great dishes here. How did you come across this restaurant Kurapika?" asked Leorio.

"Neon Nostrad once brought us here when she got hungry during one of her shopping sprees." Kurapika said as he drank the remaining water on his glass.

Killua's eyes widened as he remembered something. "Oh we barely have 5 hours left before the auction." Killua suddenly blurted out.

"We need to deposit our luggage in the hotel and we still need to study the blueprint of the building where the auction will be held. We also need to coordinate with the other guards. So come on we have to go."

Kurapika called the waiter and asked for the bill. The waiter approached their table and gave Kurapika the piece of paper. Kurapika on the other hand brought out his wallet, fished out a wad of cash and handed it to the waiter. The waiter then nodded and thank the four.

Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio rose from their seats and moved out of the restaurant. A restaurant staff called a cab for them. They rode the cab and now, they're heading for the hotel.

Upon their arrival at the hotel, Kurapika brought them to his room. He instructed Leorio to fix their things as the four of them would be staying in that room.

Kurapika, Gon and Killua took their leave to where their employers are. They would be studying the perimeter of the area and they would be coordinating the plan with their fellow employees. They left Leorio in charge of everything about their temporary home.

Leorio is cursing to himself because he was again left out. They didn't allow him to take the job because his Nen is not yet fully developed. It would only cause trouble for the four of them.

When he finished fixing their hotel room, he resorted on burying his nose on his academic books because he doesn't have anything else to do. He was instructed not to leave the room so now he's bored to death.

* * *

**Note: **So how's the 2nd chapter? Hmmm… I know the 1st two chapters are boring. I didn't put any action yet. Look forward to reading more actions on the next chapters…^_^ haha…

Oh yeah… I wanted to name the food they ordered so you can imagine them too...^_^ (Well not really Kurapika's soup)


	3. The Battle

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hunter X Hunter.. So please don't sue me..^_^ this story is just a figment of my imagination. All characters belong to Togashi Yoshihiro..^_^

**Warning: **May Contain Yaoi/ Shounen Ai stuff..

My first fanfic..^_^ expect everything.. Haha... on with the story...

**FATE'S CHAIN**

**Chapter 3:**

**The Battle**

Clouds started to gather on the central part of York Shin City. The clouds were grayish, somewhat heavy with water. It covered the sunlight, thus casting a huge shadow all over the central part of the city. The atmosphere became gloomy, and after a few minutes, it started to drizzle and eventually by nightfall, the rain poured heavily.

Just like answering on that cue, 11 figures walked out from an abandoned building. The one walking in front is a man with ebony black hair and a cross on his forehead. They walked briskly towards the central part of the city, passing by the less populated areas and eventually the denser part of the city. They blended properly with the crowds walking the busy streets.

They walked pass boutiques, restaurants, hotels, clubs and other establishments, and finally reached a pedestrian lane. They came to a halt and waited for the cars to stop and let them cross the street. After a few moments, the cars stopped and the 11 people plus the crowd that gathered by the pedestrian lane crossed the street. By the time that they've reached the other end of the street, two of the figures separated themselves from the group and walked towards the opposite direction. The group of nine, still being led by the man with a cross on his forehead, continued to walk towards the busier street of the city.

After several minutes more of walking, the man spotted a dark alley just a few blocks away. They hastened their pace and walked carefully into the alley, making sure that no one has seen them enter that dark alley.

When every single one of them was already out of the normal people's eyesight, the man with ebony black hair jumped his way into the top of the building nearby. The other eight followed his actions. They jumped from one top of a building to another, until they saw their target building. They jumped down on one of the alleys near their target building. When all of them touched solid ground, they began to group themselves according to their plan.

Kalluto, Phinx, Feitan and Nobunaga separated themselves and stealthily approached the bushes and trees near the front gate of the building. Shizuku and Franklin followed the distraction group and hid themselves behind the bushes and trees surrounding the front gate. The infiltration group which is composed of Kuroro, Coltopi and Shalnark approached the east gate of the building.

The three groups waited a few more minutes before initiating the plan.

* * *

"Welcome! They're waiting for you inside." said the lady receptionist stationed in front of the conference hall, while opening the door and gesturing for them to go in.

Gon, Killua and Kurapika nodded and walked towards the conference room door.

When they were already inside the conference room, the receptionist bowed her head and left the room, shutting the door behind her with a soft click.

The conference room is wide. The walls and ceiling are white while the floor is fully carpeted with a soft gray carpet. At the center of the room is a rectangular long table made of glass. The two long sides of the table have 10 chairs each, and the shorter sides have 1 chair each. The chairs are made of soft, black leather. A huge, wide screen hangs on the wall opposite the door. Out of the 22 seats, 19 were already occupied.

"Just in time for the meeting. You must be Nostrad's head bodyguard." Said the man seated on the far end of the table, regarding Kurapika.

"And you two must be the professional hunters we hired." He said while looking at Gon and Killua.

"Ah take your seats then. We'll be starting our meeting." Said a bass voice. The voice came from a bald man who is now standing in front of the conference room.

The man started to pace back and forth while discussing the matters with the employed guards. After giving out the orders and dismissing the other guards, the bald man asked Kurapika, Killua and Gon to stay behind.

"I never thought that Light Nostrad's top bodyguard would be a pretty young lady." The bald man exclaimed looking at Kurapika.

Killua cast a side glance towards Kurapika's direction and saw that the blonde boy is now throwing his dagger looks towards the bald man. He fought hard to conceal a very loud laugh and he succeeded this time. Instead of laughing, he stood and walked towards Kurapika and patted the Kuruta's shoulder.

"Relax. You can't blame the old man." Killua whispered to Kurapika's ear.

Kurapika suddenly turned his head towards Killua and narrowed his eyes signifying irritation. The blonde then sighed heavily, trying to calm himself and spoke with the most politeness he could ever muster at that moment.

"Sir you are gravely mistaken. I am not a lady as you perceive me to be."

"Oh forgive me for my wrong assumptions then." The bald man replied embarrassment visible in his voice and his face.

"Enough said, now we discuss the matters at hand." The bald man continued.

The bald man started to browse through the folder he was holding. After a few moments, he fished out 3 pieces of paper from the folder and handed them to the three persons in front of him. The paper handed to Gon and Killua were identical, whereas the one handed to Kurapika is unique.

"That will be the map of the front gate and the neighboring structures. You two will be guarding the front gate with 50 other men. You should study the perimeter of that map and familiarize yourselves about every possible route. That way, if thieves will escape through the front gate, you'll be able to follow them easily." The bald man explained to Gon and Killua.

Gon and Killua nodded and seated themselves once again on their chairs. They studied the map and tried to memorize the routes.

"As for you, you'll be guarding the vault but you also have to roam around every now and then. You'll have 2 other guards with you. Protect the vault at all cost." The bald man told Kurapika.

"Any question about your tasks?" The man asked the trio.

"None Sir." Answered the three in unison

With that, Gon, Killua, and Kurapika exited the conference room, shutting the door behind them. Kurapika halted on his steps and turned around to face the two kids.

"Be careful out there okay?" said the blonde in a concerned tone.

"Kurapika, don't worry too much. We'll be careful so please be careful too." Came Gon's reply.

They smiled at each other and walked to where their destinations are; Killua and Gon walked out of the building while Kurapika walked down a corridor leading to the vault.

* * *

"I think there are 12 different routes around this area." Killua stated as he pointed out different places on his map.

"Yeah! Come on let's familiarize ourselves with the routes. We need to find out where they lead to." Gon said as he studied his map carefully.

Killua agreed and they inspected every alley and traced every path possible.

After Gon and Killua are done studying and familiarizing themselves with the area, they assumed their posts at the front gate.

* * *

Kurapika walked a few more steps before he reached the vault. 2 heavily armed men stood like pillars on either side of the vault door.

"Are you the head guard hired by the Godfathers?" One of the guards suddenly blurted out.

"Yes." The blonde said while fixing his hair into a ponytail.

"I didn't know that the head bodyguard they were talking about is a woman." The other guard said while eyeing Kurapika up and down.

"Who told you that I am a woman? If I were you, I wouldn't judge someone by the looks." Kurapika said coldly. Staring daggers at the two guards.

"I'm going to roam around the area first. I'll be back within 5 minutes." The Kuruta told the guards as he walked away.

Little did he know that a pair of obsidian orbs were observing his every move.

Kurapika walked further into the corridor checking for possible entrances and exits. When he was done with his inspection, he turned around and walked back towards the vault. As he was making his way back, he heard a soft thud, like something hitting the floor. He ignored it thinking that is was just something that one of the guards accidentally dropped. When he was near enough, he saw that the vault door is open and the two guards are lying facedown on the floor. He checked their pulses but it's gone. He walked slowly towards the vault and peeked. He saw a tall man wearing a black coat with white fur to accentuate the lining. The man has black hair and a cross on his forehead. _"Kuroro Lucifer."_ Kurapika thought angrily. Kuroro at that moment is holding the container which houses a pair of Scarlet Eyes. As his gaze shifted from his enemy to the pair of eyes, Kurapika couldn't conceal the emotions stirring inside him anymore. His eyes turned crimson; crimson that is burning with anger and hatred.

Out of instinct, Kurapika materialized his chains. The chains rattled violently, like a snake that is ready to strike anytime. The rattling sound of the chains filled the air. The blonde then positioned himself in an attacking stance, ready to pounce at the enemy right there and then. But just before he could make his attack, he heard bullets being fired simultaneously from outside the building. It's like raining bullets outside.

Distracted, he looked to where the sound was coming from_. "Gon… Killua…"_ He thought, worry clouding his mind.

* * *

The infiltration group were the first to make their move. Kuroro led Coltopi and Shalnark towards the east gate of the building. Luckily for them, out of the 40 guards, only 6 Nen users were deployed on the east gate; 6 weak Nen users that is. They stealthily approached the guards and killed them soundlessly so as to not draw attention. Kuroro used only his hands to hit the back of the guards' heads, with enough force to kill them. As the killing spree came to an end, Kuroro walked briskly to the vaults location.

"Wait until our target arrives at the scene. When you see him near the entrance of the vault, immediately relay it to the distraction group. That will be the cue for them to start the ruckus." Kuroro instructed Coltopi and Shalnark.

When he was close enough to the said location, the leader of the Genei Ryodan stopped on his tracks as he saw a blonde person fixing his hair in front of 2 heavily armed men. He was in Zetsu and he was hiding behind the shadows so neither of the three persons can detect or see him.

When he saw the blonde venturing further into the corridor, he took his chance and attack the two guards standing by the vault. He approached the guards without a sound and used his poisoned Benz knife to slice their throats. With one graceful movement of his hand, both guards were killed simultaneously. The two corpses landed on the floor facedown, with a soft thud. He then force opened the vault and went inside. He managed to locate the Scarlet Eyes in a short period of time. He took it with reverence and safely tucked it in his left hand.

He suddenly heard light footsteps. Kuroro stood still and listened intently as the footsteps grew louder and louder until it finally came to a halt. He turned around just in time to spot a boy with long blonde hair fixed in a ponytail, his eyes blazing crimson and his chains materialized on his right hand. The blonde was preparing for his attack.

"_That pair of Scarlet Eyes is the most beautiful I've ever seen."_ The Genei Ryodan leader mused. Kuroro was fascinated with the blonde's crimson eyes, but he chose to maintain his cold and emotionless look, as showing fascination towards his enemy would be really weird.

Soon enough, gunshots were heard from the front gate. He saw Kurapika's head turn towards the front gate's direction.

"_Now's my chance." _Kuroro thought to himself as he summoned his book on his right hand.

He flipped the book's pages until the page where his teleportation skill is kept. He then teleported himself at the far end of the corridor where Kurapika could still see him.

Kurapika blinked as he saw his enemy now standing at the corridors end. His crimson eyes now blazing with fury. Worry about his friends forgotten, he charged towards the Spider's head without hesitation. Kuroro was taken aback by the Kuruta's speed but he immediately recovered just in time to dodge a mad rattling chain. The Genei Ryodan leader flipped in the air and landed gracefully on the staircase. He then started to run going up the flight of stairs. Kurapika jumped and landed perfectly at the staircase's landing. He chased Kuroro until they've reached the top of the building.

When Kurapika reached the rooftop of the building, he saw Kuroro standing on the edge, facing him.

"So Kuruta, we meet again." Kuroro said coldly.

"Pfft! So you finally managed to find a Nen Eraser." Kurapika said with equal coldness in his voice.

Kuroro saw at the corner of his eyes that the ruckus raised by the distraction group is coming to its end. He snorted and smiled sarcastically at Kurapika and then he turned around and jumped to the next building. Kurapika, still blinded by his rage, chased after Kuroro.

* * *

Phinx, Feitan, Nobunaga, Kalluto, Shizuku, and Franklin stayed hidden behind the shadows of the trees and bushes. They were waiting for the cue that Coltopi and Shalnark will relay to them.

After a few minutes of waiting, they sensed a familiar aura; Shalnark's aura.

"That's the cue. Come on let's get moving." Phinx said as he stood up, cracking his knuckles and his neck.

"All right! Time to have some fun." Feitan's voice said.

"It'll be more fun if I get to slice the chain assassin's neck!" said Nobunaga in a harsh tone.

"Remember to keep the kids alive. Danchou's orders." Franklin said as he readied himself to fire.

"Yeah! Yeah! We'll keep that in mind." Said Phinx as he jumped from behind the bushes and trees.

Feitan, Nobunaga and Kalluto followed Phinx's actions and moved forward to the front gate. As they were making their way to the gate, Franklin fired his first Nen bullets, hitting several of the guards. That started the exchange of fired ammunitions between the guards and Franklin.

Some of the guards saw four figures approaching the gates. Without second thoughts, the guards charged towards the figures, only to be killed ruthlessly in a flash; Feitan unsheathed his sword and beheaded 4 of the guards all at once. Phinx on the other hand crushed the skulls of the guards approaching him with his bare hands. Nobunaga also unsheathed his sword and cut the bodies of 3 guards in half, separating their thighs from their torsos. Kalluto brought out his fan and began dismembering the bodies of the guards that he came across with. The sound of gunshots, screams and shouts filled the air. After just a few seconds, almost half of the guards were lying lifeless on the ground. Dismembered bodies scattered across the premise.

Gon and Killua were stunned by the gruesome event unfolding before their eyes, but they quickly recovered when they sensed 3 familiar auras; Phinx, Nobunaga and Feitan's aura. The two kids immediately assumed their attacking stance. They were ready to attack anytime. They saw Phinx, Feitan and Nobunaga's figure drawing nearer and nearer, but what caught their attention was the small figure trailing behind the three Spiders. When the small figure was near enough to be distinguishable, Killua's eyes widened in shock.

"Kalluto! What are you doing here? Why are you with them? Dad said that it's dangerous to deal with the Phantom Brigade!" Killua blurted out to his little brother. Shock written allover his face.

"What I do with my life is none of your business brother. Same goes for you." Came the cold reply of Kalluto.

"She's your little sister right?" Gon asked Killua in a whisper.

"No Gon. He's my little brother. Mom dresses him up that's why he looks like a girl." Killua said while shaking his head.

"Oh okay." Gon replied a bit embarrassed for his assumptions.

"Done with your chit-chat brats? Come on! Let's get into action!" Nobunaga said impatiently, caressing the hilt of his katana.

The guards who were still alive were horrified by the sight of the lifeless bodies lying on the ground. Almost all of the guards flee from the morbid scene in front of them; save for the two kids who stood their ground. The guards scampered away; running for their life, crying and screaming like hell was raised before their eyes.

Feitan grinned evilly as he spoke out loud, "Heh! Run all you want you fools! As if it'll make any difference! You're all gonna die anyway!" And with that, Feitan sprinted and chased the some of the guards. He easy caught up with guards who weren't fast enough. He beheaded some of them, but there are unlucky ones; the ones who ended up losing their limbs without dying on the spot. The unlucky ones who were forced to wait painfully for death to claim them.

"Hey Feitan! That's unfair. Leave some for us will ya?" Phinx commented as he started to chase after his doomed targets.

The brow-less man started twisting and cracking the necks, skulls and backbones of his victims. From time to time, he jumps on his unsuspecting victim's shoulder; He concentrates his whole weight on his feet and lands harshly on his target's shoulder. The effect of his concentrated weight is enough to create a small 5-inch deep crater on the concrete ground.

Nobunaga sighed inwardly and unsheathed his sword. Wordlessly, he jumped his way towards the nearest target, and just a split second, the target's body was cut into 5 pieces.

Kalluto on the other hand just stood in front of Gon and Killua, while watching the other Spiders have 'fun'.

Gon felt like throwing up on the spot because of the blood and gore before his eyes. He felt pity towards the guards who were ruthlessly killed and he felt hatred and anger towards the Spiders who were initiating the gruesome act. When he couldn't hold his rage anymore, he charged towards Phinx even before Killua could stop him. He reinforced his fist with Nen and aimed for the man's torso. Phinx saw the boy charging towards him at the corner of his eye. He realized that there was no time to dodge the attack because the kid was coming at him fast. He then decided on the spot to reinforce his body with Kou to increase his defense and to reduce the physical damage from the impact of the punch. As soon as Gon's fist came in contact with Phinx's torso, the brow-less man was forced backwards. He had anticipated the punch to be strong, but not _that_ strong to the point where he was forced backwards even when his body is reinforced by Kou.

"Good hit kid! You took me by surprise." Phinx commented as he smiled bemusedly towards Gon.

"Why do you keep on killing innocent people? They didn't do anything wrong to you!" Gon blurted out angrily.

"Hey kid we're just having fun. And besides, they'll just get in our way, so why not kill them?" Phinx said as he paced towards the spiky-haired boy.

"It's too troublesome if we keep them. They'll just bug us and disturb us during our mission." Phinx continued as he halted just a few paces away from Gon.

"B-but…" Gon trailed off. But before he could even continue his sentence, Phinx cut him off.

"Heh! Look kid! You will never understand and don't even bother to try. We are what we are. Our profession requires us to do this. Simple as that."

"Hey enough babbling! Danchou and the Kuruta just jumped to the next building." Feitan interrupted them.

After Feitan's statement, Gon and Killua looked up and saw two vague figures jumping from one top of a building to another. Phinx seized this opportunity to hit Gon's nape with his hand, enough to knock the kid out for several hours. At the same time, Nobunaga rushed to Killua's back and also hit his nape and knock the silver-haired ex-assassin unconscious.

With that, Phinx carried Gon on his left shoulder, like a potato sack and walked towards where Shizuku and Franklin are. He was followed by Kalluto, Feitan and Nobunaga, who was carrying Killua on his shoulder as well.

When they've reached Franklin and Shizuku, the group decided to go back already on their hideout with their hostages.

* * *

Machi and Bonorenof walked past some more establishments on the busy part of the city. After 2 more blocks, they've finally reached their destination; Ravlin Hotel. They made there way to the back alley of the hotel and started climbing the building by jumping. They settled for this more challenging way on entering the hotel because they had no other choice. Bonorenof for one cannot enter the hotel premise looking like a mummy now could he? When they've reached the twelfth floor, they peeked at the 4th window from the right side of the building, and surely they've spotted their target; lying on the couch while watching the television.

Bonorenof broke the window's glass without hesitation, while Machi prepared to make her way inside the hotel room.

Leorio was dozing off in front of the television when he suddenly heard and saw the room's glass window breaking. He saw blurry figure enter through the broken glass hole. He can't make out what the figure is because it's moving too fast. The next thing he knew, his movements were already restricted by the Nen threads tied around his whole body. He tried to look up to see his captor, but to no avail, he was hit at the back of his neck with a hand and at that instant, he was already unconscious.

"Come on Bonorenof let's go." Said Machi as she darted towards the hole where she previously entered.

* * *

Shalnark and Coltopi made their way out of the building when they saw the distraction group with their backup and hostages left the premise. They decided to take the long route back to their hideout; walk around town and avoid the busy streets if the city.

"_Where could Danchou and the chain assassin be now?" _Asked Shalnark to himself.

"We'll have to hurry Coltopi. We have to make sure that the hostages are there before Danchou and the chain assassin arrives." Shalnark said as he hastened his pace. His companion merely nodded and mimicked his action of speeding up.

After several turns from an alley to another alley, after passing by some residential houses, finally they've reached the abandoned building which serves as their temporary hideout.

As they entered the building, they saw 8 familiar figures scattered on their 'meeting hall', and 3 figures sprawled on the floor, unconscious.

Shalnark looked around to see what the other Spiders are doing as Coltopi sat down near the right wall of the hall. He saw Machi leaning on one of the walls with her arms folded across her chest, while eyeing the three hostages lying motionlessly on the floor. Bonorenof sat quietly on the far end of the hall fixing his bandages. Kalluto stood near enough his older brother as he scrutinizes the unconscious figure. Franklin, Nobunaga, Feitan and Phinx sat on the center part of the hall playing cards. Nobunaga's brow is furrowed, disappointment written allover his face. The foul-tempered samurai suddenly stood and pointed his fingers accusingly on his playing companions while he was shouting, "You cheaters! You're tricking me again! That's unfair! 3 on 1? Come on let's just settle it with brawl!" Shalnark shook his head in disbelief. He then continued with his observation. On the left part of the hall, Shizuku sat quietly while reading a book.

After his observation, he settled down on the floor with one of his knees propped up, and his back against the wall. Once he felt comfortable with his position, he brought out his cell phone and dialed their Danchou's number. At the end of the second ring back, Shalnark ended the call and pocketed his cell phone.

* * *

Kuroro jumped from one top of a building to another while clutching the Scarlet Eyes tightly. On his peripheral view, he saw that a certain blonde is following him, chasing after him. The Ryodan leader's inhuman speed kept the distance constant from him to Kurapika.

After several more minutes of jumping and chasing, Kuroro felt vibration in his pocket.

"_They must be already in there." _He thought to himself, as he suddenly jumped to the left, towards their hideout's direction.

Kurapika was surprised with the sudden change of direction but nevertheless, he still chased after him. _"Now where is this bastard leading me to?"_ He asked himself.

His unvoiced question was answered moments later. He now found himself standing in a secluded area of the city or more precisely, in front of an abandoned building. He saw Kuroro dashing towards the entrance of the building and seconds after, the Spider head already disappeared from his view.

"_This maybe a trap… No! IT IS a trap! How stupid of me!"_ Kurapika thought angrily. He scolded himself mentally for being so reckless and for losing his rationality. He wanted to hit himself for letting his anger get the better of him. _"Ugh! I think I need a Psychologist for anger management issues!"_ Kurapika said as he slapped his forehead with his left hand.

His eyes reverted back to cerulean after the Genei Ryodan leader vanished from his sight. For a moment, he stared at the abandoned building in front of him. He was thinking if he should go and follow the Genei Ryodan leader. He thought of the possibilities as he assessed the building; If he barged in and find all the Ryodan members in there, then it might be his end… no… it will be his end DEFINITELY. But a small part of him was urging him to go after the Spider's head. He was not afraid to die, but his promise to collect and bring back every single pair of Scarlet Eyes was holding him back. He didn't know what to do. He was pulled back to reality from his deep thoughts when he felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. He fished out the cell phone from his right pocket. The cell phone's screen was blinking while flashing the caller's name. _"Killua."_ Kurapika read in his mind while he pushed the 'answer' button.

"Killua?" said Kurapika while his gaze shifted from the building to the ground.

"Come inside the building if you want to see your friends alive." A bass voice answered from the other end of the line.

"Bastard! Don't you dare lay a finger on my friends!" Kurapika retorted furiously as his eyes turned crimson again, burning with rage.

The line went dead as soon as he finished his statement. With that, he furiously marched towards the entrance of that damned building.

As soon as he entered the Spider's lair, he saw 3 unconscious figures sprawled on the floor. He suddenly recognized them; Gon, Killua and Leorio. On his peripheral view, he saw 11 figures scattered across the place.

Upon Kurapika's arrival, the Genei Ryodan members focused their attention to him. He felt their heavy glares towards him. He also felt their deadly auras, especially the aura emitted by the samurai in the middle of the hall. He could sense bloodlust from that aura, like the samurai really wanted to murder him ruthlessly in the most gruesome way possible right there and then. He noticed a blue-haired woman walk towards his friends. The woman tightened the almost-invisible Nen threads that bound the three hostages. Kurapika managed to glare at the woman but his attention was diverted to the far end of the hall. He saw the Genei Ryodan leader stood up from his sitting position and walked several paces forward.

"Do as I say and they'll get out of here alive." He heard the man with the cross on the forehead say.

"Like I'd do that!" Kurapika shouted angrily, as his crimson eyes assumed a deeper shade of scarlet.

At the end of his statement, he leapt from his position and he vanished in thin air. The Genei Ryodan members were shocked when the blonde disappeared. They were stunned. Some of them even dropped their jaws. Kuroro was also shocked but he maintained his cold, emotionless visage, betraying his shock. Machi, the first Spider leg to recover from the shock narrowed her eyes and used Gyou in an attempt to locate the Kuruta. She saw an enormous, blurry aura with inhuman speed dashing towards their Danchou. She was about to shout a warning to their Danchou when she realized that Kuroro is one step ahead of her. With his fast thinking, intelligence and being a top tactician, Kuroro already analyzed the situation and used Gyou to locate the blonde even before Machi recovered from the shock. The Genei Ryodan leader was fast enough to dodge the Kuruta charging towards him.

The Genei Ryodan members prepared to attack the blonde but their Danchou glanced at them with one of his 'don't-interfere-or-else-I'll-decapitate-you' glances. They were taken aback by that but nevertheless, they complied.

The blonde landed a few meters away from the Genei Ryodan leader. Kurapika already anticipated Kuroro's reaction and prepared to charge again. This time he materialized his chain, the Chain Jail and darted towards Kuroro. The Spider leader was lucky enough to dodge the Chain Jail by mere millimeters, thus preventing him to be forced into Zetsu mode. While Kuroro was busy dodging the Chain Jail, Kurapika flipped as he reinforced his feet with Nen and performed somersault with lightning speed, successfully hitting Kuroro's torso. Kuroro was good in anticipating the Kuruta's series of attacks that he managed to use Kou just in time to reduce the impact of the assault.

Kuroro was taken a few steps backwards because of the force of the attack. Even with Kou, the damage was not to be taken lightly. He knew that some of his ribs were broken because of the impact. The Spider leader was amazed by the fact that the Kuruta can muster a lot of strength and inflict serious damages with that lithe build of his. He remembered the time when the Kuruta captured him and punched his left cheek. A smirk appeared on Kuroro's face as he remembered that day.

"As expected of the chain assassin who managed to eliminate 2 of the Ryodan members and also managed to capture me and seal my Nen." Said Kuroro as he straightened his body and prepared his poisoned Benz knife.

"Now let's get this over with." The Spider leader continued as he prepared to charge towards the blonde Kuruta.

Kurapika only grinned sarcastically at the remarks of the Ryodan's leader. He assumed his defensive stance, chain still materialized on his right hand. He kept his ground as Kuroro darted towards him.

When Kurapika was already within attacking range, Kuroro started swishing his knife towards the blonde. Kurapika on the other hand blocked the attacks with his chain as he stepped backwards. Kuroro's attacks were fast and powerful but Kurapika's defense is solid and intact, difficult to penetrate. They continued like that for a few more seconds, until Kuroro managed to find a blind spot; the elbow of the Kuruta. The Ryodan leader took his chance, with the proper timing, he managed to slice the Kuruta's flesh on the elbow.

Kuroro stopped attacking and jumped backwards. Kurapika stopped flailing his chains and focused on Kuroro. His vision was blurring and he felt dizzy. He narrowed his eyes trying to focus again on his enemy. He felt a sting in his right elbow and turned his gaze towards his elbow. His eyes widened in shock and horror as he saw the wound. His vision was again blurring and his dizziness is becoming intolerable by the second. He felt numb. He couldn't move a muscle. The next thing he knew, he was already lying on the cold floor, just a few meters away from his unconscious friends. He wanted to open his eyes but he couldn't. He didn't want to succumb into oblivion but the poison is taking its toll.

He's commanding his body to move but his body wouldn't listen. He kept on forcing his body to listen to his commands. He's battling with his body mentally.

"_Come on Kurapika! Stand up!"_.

"_You need to stand up! You need to save you friends!"_

"_No one can save them but you! So come on! Stand!"_

Kurapika continued his mental battle with his body. He gathered every bit of willpower he has and pushed his body to move.

At last, the tip of his fingers flicked. With his willpower intact inside his heart and mind, he gathered all the strength he can access and concentrated it on his hands. His fingers flicked again. He repeated this action for several times more, ignoring the pain, until he could finally clench and unclench his hands. Next, he tried to mobilize his arms. He succeeded after several painful attempts. After his arms were already mobilized, it became easier for the blonde to mobilize his whole body. After the long, agonizing 15 minutes, he is already back on his feet. But the blonde wasn't fully recovered yet; he's still a bit dizzy, his vision still blurry, and he developed a throbbing headache during his attempts to mobilize his body. He stood groggily while trying to focus his eyes on his surroundings.

Kuroro watched in amazement the events that have unfolded in front of him; from the scene where the Kuruta collapsed on the floor, to the scene where he tried his hardest to mobilize his whole body, until now, where the blonde is standing on his feet again.

The other Spiders were also intently watching the series of events. They couldn't help but to stare with awe at the blonde Kuruta who's now balancing himself as he stand. Even Nobunaga dropped his jaws as he witnessed the recovery of the blonde. The Spiders very well know that 0.1mg of the poison in their Danchou's knife was enough to paralyze a whale. So the Kuruta's mobilization after 15 minutes is really a remarkable phenomenon.

Kurapika finally balanced himself after swaying several times. He narrowed his eyes again and tried to focus his gaze on the floor. After trying so hard, his vision is finally going back to normal, and his dizziness scampered away slowly, but his pulsating headache won't go away. He thought of a way to ease his headache even for just a bit; He freed his hair by pulling the tight band that was holding his hair into a ponytail. His blonde hair gracefully fell on his back and on his shoulders. His bangs covering some parts of his still-crimson eyes.

Kuroro was surprised but pleased to see the blonde like that. He can't help but admire the ethereal beauty before his eyes. Kurapika's long blonde hair, his milky complexion, his burning crimson eyes, his lithe build, and his angelic face. Everything about him seems so perfect.

"_You are remarkably admirable Kuruta."_ Kuroro mused to himself as an involuntary but hearty smile played across his lips.

The Spiders were all too preoccupied with the blonde Kuruta that they failed to notice a very rare visage of their Danchou, save for Shalnark who was fortunate enough to shift his gaze to Kuroro when the smile appeared on their Danchou's face.

"_What's with Danchou? I've never seen him smile before. Let alone a hearty one."_ Shalnark said to himself as he continued to stare at the usually stoic man.

Kurapika straightened his body and lifted his gaze to meet Kuroro's obsidian orbs. He was shocked that the Ryodan leader was actually smiling. The smile seemed like a non-evil, non-sarcastic, and has no hint of malice in it; in fact, it's a natural, sincere, and pure smile. He blinked twice, and then he narrowed his eyes to see if his vision has deceived him a while ago when he saw that smile plastered on Kuroro's face. He shook his head in incredulity. Kurapika wanted to ask why Kuroro is smiling but instead, he sighed inwardly and chose to drop that subject.

"_Weird bastard." _Kurapika thought.

Just as Kurapika was about to speak, he saw Killua's body move. After a few moments, Killua struggled against the Nen threads binding his body.

"No use kid so stop squirming." Came Machi's cold voice.

Killua stopped struggling and tried to stand up instead. Machi hauled him up by pulling her Nen threads. When the silver-haired ex-assassin was already standing, he looked around and spotted Kurapika. Killua noticed that the blonde was a bit groggy. He scrutinized the blonde's figure and located a single gash on Kurapika's right elbow.

"Kurapika! What happened? Are you alright?" Killua worriedly asked.

"Yes I'm alright now. I'm sorry for dragging you into this." The blonde said as he clenched his fist.

"Why are you apologizing? And where did you get that wound?" Killua asked as he pointed his fingers towards the gash on Kurapika's elbow.

"I fell into their trap because of my stupidity. I lost my rationality so we all ended up here." The Kuruta explained, ignoring the second question as if it was never asked by Killua.

"It's not your fault. We were not careful enough." The ex-assassin muttered.

At the corner of his eyes, Killua saw the unconscious figures beside him roll to his side. Gon and Leorio were already waking up. He turned his gaze from the blonde to the Gon and Leorio who were lying on the floor beside him.

"Gon! Leorio!" Killua shouted as he tried to aid the two, but Machi prevented him to do so by tightening the Nen threads around Killua's body. Killua struggled to free himself but the threads kept on tightening every time he struggles. The ex-assassin groaned as the Nen threads cut through his skin. Blood slowly trickled down his body; from his shoulders to his feet.

"I told you its no use to struggle. You'll only aggravate your situation." Machi said coldly.

"Killua! Please stop struggling!" Kurapika pleaded as he dashed towards Killua.

By the time the Kuruta reached Killua, Machi hauled Gon and Leorio to a standing position. Gon, who by that time was still half-dazed, tried to move his body, but he was unable to do so. He fully recovered from his unconsciousness and he realized that his body was bound by something. He too, like Killua, struggled to free himself from whatever binds surrounding his body. After a few seconds of struggling, he felt that the bind was gradually tightening, and that it is slowly cutting through his flesh. He yelped in pain as he felt warm liquid oozing out of the cuts that the Nen threads produced.

Leorio on the other hand was still blinking his unconsciousness away, but when he heard Gon's cry of pain, doctor instincts kicked in and he tried to rush to Gon's side. Leorio's fate was the same with the two kids. He was stopped and cut by the Nen threads, causing blood to trickle down his body as well.

"Stop it! Stop struggling!" Kurapika said as his eyes widen in horror as he watch his friends suffer.

Kuroro, now back to his Danchou persona, stood just a few meters away from the blonde. He folded his arms across his chest as he spoke calmly. "Even if they stop struggling, Machi will continue to tighten the binds until the threads cut through their bodies."

Kurapika turned around to glare at the Genei Ryodan leader. He wanted to decapitate the raven-haired man right there and then. He wanted to go berserk and kill every single Ryodan member but he couldn't because it will endanger the life of his friends. He cursed under his breath for not being able to fight and defend his comrades.

"Kuruta, you can only save them by taking the offer." The Spider head said as he walked a few paces forward.

Kurapika closed his eyes and sighed heavily. After feeling a bit calmer, he opened his eyes again and caught Kuroro's gaze.

"I'll take it." Kurapika mumbled as he sighed in defeat.

Kuroro signaled Machi to loosen the threads a bit before turning his gaze to the Kuruta again.

"What offer is that? Tell us right now Kurapika!" Boomed Leorio.

"Kurapika… what is he talking about?" Gon asked innocently.

"State you terms." Kurapika said as he ignored Leorio's demand and Gon's inquiry.

"Very well. We will release them after you finish everything I order you to do." Kuroro said bluntly.

"First, you shall use your Judgment Chain on your self and impose 2 conditions." Kuroro continued.

"... State you conditions." Kurapika answered as he summoned his Judgment Chain.

"One, you cannot and may not attack any Ryodan member. Two, you will follow my orders to you. If you fail to follow these conditions, you will die."

"I cannot impose the first condition because it will contradict the current condition I have imposed earlier, that is to use this chain against Genei Ryodan members only." Kurapika said flatly.

"Can't you just cancel the current condition imposed?" Kuroro inquired.

"No. I will be needing my Nen master for that matter." The Kuruta replied monotonously.

"Well then for now, we'll have to settle for the second condition. As for the first condition, you will impose that after we track down your Nen master." Kuroro said.

"Is that all?" Kurapika asked in a steely voice.

"Yes. For now, impose the second condition and after that, I will give you my first set of orders." The Genei Ryodan leader said.

Kurapika directed the blade end of the Judgment Chain towards his heart. Moments later, the Nen blade and chain penetrated through his chest. Kurapika jolted as he felt the chain enter through his chest until the chain finally wrapped his heart. He also felt that the blade is already positioned pointing towards his heart.

The Ryodan members, their Danchou, and his friends watched the scene closely. Gon and Leorio were stunned by the scene unfolding before their eyes: Kurapika making a deal with the Genei Ryodan leader and followed the Spider head's command on imposing a condition to his own heart. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Killua on the other hand only stared at Kurapika with understanding eyes. Being the second most rational one among them four, where Kurapika is the most rational, he knew that no matter what he, Gon or Leorio says, the blonde would still choose to take the deal and save the three of them, even if it is against his will. After all, he would also do the same thing for his friends.

The Ryodan members were watching Kurapika with interest. They were all having the same thoughts: _"So that is what he used to kill Uvogin and Pakunoda."_

The Danchou of Genei Ryodan scrutinized the blonde's actions. He watched as the Kuruta jolted from shock. Kuroro couldn't help but remember the time when his own heart was wrapped by the Judgment Chain. The way the chain snaked around his heart and the feeling of the Nen blade pointing towards the heart is really unnerving.

After the unnerving sensation has passed, Kurapika shifted his gaze towards Kuroro.

"What are your orders?" the blonde asked.

"First, you will not attack any of the Genei Ryodan members."

"Second, you will not commit suicide, because if you do, we'll hunt your friends down and kill them."

"… And third, heal your friends." Kuroro stated calmly but authoritatively at the same time.

The last statement made Kurapika's mind swivel. He doubted his hearing senses, thinking that he heard the last order wrongly. He looked at Kuroro with confusion written allover his face.

"What?" Kurapika managed to ask the man in front of him.

"Didn't you hear me? I said heal your friends." Kuroro said firmly.

"Oh… I thought I heard you wrong." The blonde said before he spun on his heels and walked towards his friends.

He raised his right thumb and summoned his Holy Chain. The cross-shaped end of the chain hovered above Killua's shoulders, arms, wrists, torso, thighs, legs, and ankles. After a few minutes, the ex-assassin was already wound and scar free and back to his shape. He repeated the process for Gon and Leorio. After several more minutes, Gon and Leorio were also healed, no trace of the gashes made by Machi's Nen threads.

Kuroro and his gang watched as the blood disappear, the wounds close and scars vanish from the skin of their hostages. Yet another amazing scene to behold.

"_Impressive Kuruta! Truly Impressive!"_ Kuroro exclaimed in his mind while his gaze is still fixed on the blonde Kuruta.

As he finished healing his friends, Kurapika faced Kuroro again.

"Done. Now let them go." The Kuruta said icily.

Kuroro merely nodded at the blonde before he ordered some of his Spiders to do the job.

"Machi, Phinx and Feitan, you'll return the hostages to their hotel."

With that, Machi hit Killua, Gon and Leorio's nape with one swift movement of her hands. The three suddenly fell unconscious again. Feitan carried Gon like a sack of potato dangling on his left shoulder. Machi mimicked Feitan's action and placed Killua on her left shoulder. Leorio was carried by Phinx who had no problem on handling the tall man. When they were all set, they darted towards the exit and vanished into the darkness.

"Why did you knock them unconscious again?" Kurapika asked angrily.

"Consider that a precaution." Kuroro replied curtly.

* * *

**Notes:** As promised, here's the action..^_^ hope you liked it..^_^ Keep the reviews and suggestions coming..^_^


	4. Lemniscate and Philanthropy

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hunter X Hunter.. So please don't sue me..^_^ this story is just a figment of my imagination. All characters belong to Togashi Yoshihiro..^_^

**Warning: **May Contain Yaoi/ Shounen Ai stuff..

My first fanfic..^_^ expect everything.. Haha... on with the story...

**FATE'S CHAIN**

**Chapter 4:**

**Lemniscate and Philanthropy **

A lone, weeping figure is seated amidst the void. He lifted his gaze and looked around him. He saw nothing but darkness… total darkness. He stood and walked forward hoping to see even the smallest glint of light and find the end of the empty, dark space. He kept walking and walking for what seemed like an eternity already but he was going nowhere. He was so tired that he collapsed on a non-existent floor, and to his horror, the darkness suddenly engulfed him. He felt like falling into the abyss. He squirmed, flipped and turned as he tried to prevent his fall, but nonetheless, he failed. He continuously fell deeper into the bottomless pit. He felt limp. He felt his lungs contract, preventing him to breathe properly. He noticed that his breathing is becoming shallower gradually. He felt like he's dying.

* * *

"Hey! Wake up!" A panic-stricken voice shouted as the owner of the voice gently shakes the unconscious Kuruta lying on the bed.

"Danchou, good thing you're here already! He's convulsing again. His fever is even higher today and his breathing is becoming shallower." The panic-stricken voice continued as he placed the back of his hand on the blonde's forehead, feeling the Kuruta's temperature.

"Shalnark, what exactly happened?" Kuroro asked as he hurried towards the bedside mimicking Shalnark's previous action of feeling the blonde's temperature.

"I was busy washing the towel for his cold compress when I heard him groan, and when I turned to check on him, he's already convulsing like crazy. I tried to calm him down but he wouldn't." Shalnark said, still panic-stricken.

"Okay. Shalnark fetch some clean clothes for him." Instructed Kuroro as he got a wooden chair and placed it beside the bed.

"Okay Danchou." The brown-haired man said as he turned the doorknob and walked out of the room.

Kuroro waited until Shalnark's footsteps completely disappeared before he sat himself on the unoccupied side of the Kuruta's bed. He stared at the convulsing blonde for a moment before reaching for Kurapika's right hand. Kuroro held the hand on his left palm and he gently caressed it with his right hand. He absentmindedly drew his head nearer to Kurapika's and started to whisper to the blonde's ear. "Shhh… Calm down… It's alright… I'm here…" Kuroro whispered soothingly. Miraculously, Kurapika's convulsions slowly died down, and after a few minutes, the blonde lay peacefully on the bed once again.

After realizing what he just did and said, Kuroro straightened up a bit as he drew his face away from the blonde. He's still caressing Kurapika's hand while staring into nothingness as he reviewed and evaluated his previous actions on his mind. _"Why did I say that? Why am I acting this way?"_ Kuroro asked himself while shaking his head in incredulity. He imagined what reactions would be drawn from each and every member of his notorious gang when they see him doing what he's doing now.

Kuroro pictured his gang in his mind; Shalnark's brows furrowed while he is scratching a non-existent itch at the back of his head, Machi staring at him wide-eyed, Phinx raising one of his imaginary eyebrows, Kalluto standing on one corner not caring at all, Bonorenof sleeping on one corner of the room, Feitan sneering at one corner, Coltopi batting her eyelashes every 3 seconds, Shizuku reading a book still unaware of what's happening. Of course Nobunaga, the ill-tempered samurai is gawking and his jaws are dropping before throwing his tantrums, while Franklin on the other hand tries to stop Nobunaga before he could slash anything.

He was drawn back from his reverie when he heard a groan. His gaze fell on the figure lying on the bed. A smile played across his lips while he stared at Kurapika's angelic face and brushed a few golden strands away from the blonde's face with his free hand.

"… I must be out of my mind." Kuroro mumbled almost inaudibly as he placed Kurapika's hand back on the bed. He stood from his place and walked towards the window, still sorting out the things that he did a while ago.

* * *

Kurapika felt like he's being deprived of oxygen as he fell deeper into the dark chasm. But just when he thought of giving up, he heard a voice say, _"Shhh… Calm down… It's alright… I'm here…"_ as he felt a pair of soft and soothing hands catch him in midair. The voice was tender; full of concern. He felt relieved, relaxed, calm and comfortable under that hand's touch. He looked up to see his savior's face but he couldn't distinguish the owner of the hands because a blinding light flashed before Kurapika's eyes. He narrowed his eyes to adjust his sight to the light. After his eyes were already properly adjusted, he searched for his savior but he found none. Instead, he saw a boundless, lush green field stretching before his eyes. The flora and fauna perfectly complimented the field. The sun shone brightly on the cerulean sky as birds chirped merrily on the tree branches. The air is filled with the scent of vanilla and orchid which made his mind and body relax more.

He sat down on the grass and closed his eyes as he cleared his mind and meditated. For the first time in many years, he felt bliss and solitude. He was detached from all the negativity that life has previously offered him. He felt carefree while he enjoyed his newly found peace of mind. But this train of pleasurable feelings was not bound to last.

After a few moments of gratifying sanity, Kurapika felt like he's drifting fast towards a dark vortex. The darkness swirled madly as he was drawn towards the center of the whirlpool of darkness. He wanted to open his eyes to see the cause of his agitation but he was afraid of what he might see. He thought for a moment and slowly opened his eyes.

As he opened his eyes, he saw again a blinding light. He blinked thrice to adjust his eyesight to his environment. He focused on the source of the light and he saw a small fluorescent lamp attached to the ceiling. He sat up slowly so as not to aggravate his already throbbing headache. He looked to his right and he saw a glass of water, a book, and a lamp on the side table, a chair and a double door. The Mahogany wooden door appeared so exquisite because of its reddish-brown color and its intricate carvings. He slowly turned his head to his left and saw another lamp, a small basin with water and a telephone on top of another side table. He looked to the far end of the room and saw a chair and a sofa. He also saw a large window decorated with rich tapestry drawn to the side. The tapestry was of the color crimson embroidered with exotic curves using gold threads. After marveling at the beauty of the tapestry, his eyes continued to rove around the room and he saw a sliding frosted glass door near the large window.

"_Where am I?"_ Kurapika mused as he tried to remember everything and anything he could. He lifted his right hand and planted the tip of his fingers on his temple and started massaging it with gentle circular motion in an attempt to lessen the throbbing pain on his head.

He was deep in his own thoughts when suddenly the frosted glass door slid open and a figure emerged from the room behind the door. He gazed at the figure for a moment then after realizing what he was seeing, a blush crept up his delicate face. He immediately covered his eyes with his both hands in a very child-like manner.

The figure who emerged from the room was Kuroro wearing nothing but a towel tightly tucked around his waist. His ebony hair is wet and is hanging loosely, partly covering the cross on his forehead. Kuroro's upper body muscles, especially his abdominal and chest muscles were perfectly toned. His arm, leg and thigh muscles were perfectly developed as well. Overall, his body was in perfect shape. His medium build is in perfect harmony with his height.

The Genei Ryodan leader smirked at the sight of the Kuruta blushing and doing something very childish.

"Wh- wh- wha- what a- are you doing here looking like that?" Kurapika stuttered on his question.

"Ah… at last you're awake. How are you feeling?" Kuroro asked as he came closer to Kurapika, his half-naked state completely forgotten.

"Hey! Don't come near me you jerk! Get away from me! Put some clothes on!" The blonde shouted with all the strength he can muster at that instant, as he blindly threw his pillows towards Kuroro.

"Oh yeah I completely forgot." The ebony-haired man confessed as he rushed toward the closet. He rummaged through the closet and found his undergarments, black trousers and black long-sleeved shirt. Kuroro went to the bathroom and put on his clothes immediately.

When he got out of the bathroom, Kurapika was still covering his eyes with his hands. On his way towards the bed, he picked up the pillows that were thrown by the blonde. Kuroro reached the bed and placed the pillows beside Kurapika as he sat down on the empty part of the bed.

"You could uncover your eyes now. I've got some clothes on already." Kuroro said while he folded his sleeves upwards until it reached his elbows.

"No! why would I trust you? Why would I believe you?" Kurapika retorted.

"Suit yourself then." The older man said indifferently as he stood and stared at the childish blonde in front of him, trying hard to fight back a grin, but failed nonetheless.

Kurapika sighed inwardly in defeat as he lowered his hands, rested them on his lap and he slowly opened his eyes. His gaze is darted towards Kuroro who was now wearing a sarcastic grin on his face.

Because of the sarcastic expression on the face of the Phantom Brigade's leader in front of him, Kurapika's brows furrowed in annoyance. He wanted to obliterate that face right there and then and wipe away every expression written on it, but the restrictions he set on himself was preventing him to do so.

"Where am I? What am I doing here? Why did you bring me here?" asked Kurapika almost breathlessly.

Kuroro looked at the blonde with amused eyes, "You've been out for almost 4 days now since you collapsed back there in the hideout."

"WHAT?" Kurapika shrieked as his eyes widened in shock because of the revelation.

"You had a very high fever back then. I brought you here to recover." Said the Genei Ryodan leader, rather indifferently.

Kuroro stepped closer to Kurapika and held out his hand in an attempt to check Kurapika's temperature on the forehead but the blonde Kuruta swatted away his hands immediately.

"Don't touch me and get away from me!" Kurapika said with thick irritation in his voice.

"I have to check your temperature so that I will know whether or not to administer medication to you further." Kuroro said nonchalantly.

"So you are not just a Master thief… you're also a doctor." Kurapika said with thick sarcasm.

"Being sarcastic, are we? So to speak, I had to perform doctor and caregiver duties thanks to a certain someone who passed out for 4 days." Kuroro said as he graced the irritated Kuruta a teasing smile.

"Who told you to do that? You should've just left me there to die." The blonde Kuruta retorted defensively.

"I won't let you die. You are far too useful for us." Kuroro said with much Danchou-ness.

True that Kuroro thought of Kurapika as a useful addition to his notorious group. With the Kuruta's abilities and strength, he is to be considered a great asset for the Ryodan.

Kuroro is known to be the Master Thief. He steals rare and great treasures and artifacts. He adored and revered every single treasure and artifact that he obtains and the Kuruta was no exception. He adored Kurapika because he thought of the blonde as a living artifact; the last remnant of the now-extinct Kuruta tribe. But Kuroro wasn't aware of his own feelings. He's not conscious about his growing fondness for the blonde; no… not fondness… it's more than that.

Kuroro sat down on the empty side of the bed and eyed Kurapika as a mischievous grin appeared on his face.

"Since you're so stubborn, I have no other choice but to do this." Kuroro said as he inched closer to Kurapika. The blonde on the other hand propped up his knees and tugged the blanket closer to his body as he looked at Kuroro with confused and annoyed expression.

"What are you doing?" Kurapika asked uneasily.

"Well…" Kuroro trailed off as he slowly drew his face nearer to Kurapika's. When his head was halfway through, he stopped and smirked at the blonde's expressions; angry, confused, astonished and annoyed. Kurapika wanted to slap Kuroro's face in that moment but he was unable to move. His body was stunned and his mind was not working properly because of the sudden gesture of the Genei Ryodan leader.

When he was sure that Kurapika was too shocked to move, he tucked Kurapika's long blonde locks behind his left ear and continued to draw his face nearer until his lips were about an inch away from Kurapika's left ear.

"… I order you to let me check your temperature." Kuroro gently whispered to Kurapika's ear.

Kurapika shivered as he felt Kuroro's breath on his ears. His face and ears felt hot and his eyeballs are now popping out of their sockets due to Kuroro's action.

The Genei Ryodan leader backed away and gazed at the blonde in front of him. He grinned triumphantly as he reached out to touch Kurapika's forehead. Kurapika winced at the skin contact but he restrained himself from knocking the lights out of Kuroro because that was an order.

"You're still feverish but your temperature is much lower now compared to your temperature when you were convulsing an hour ago." Kuroro informed Kurapika.

"I was having convulsions?" inquired Kurapika as he raised one delicate eyebrow.

"Yes." Answered Kuroro as he stood up and walked towards the door. Just before he turned one of the doorknobs, he glanced back at Kurapika, who was in turn staring at him. He cocked his head and spoke in a gentle but firm manner, "Stay here. I'll get you something to eat."

Before Kurapika could even respond, Kuroro was already out in the corridor, closing the door behind him. Kurapika frowned as he was unable to retaliate with sarcastic comments against Kuroro's words. He picked up the pillows beside him and fixed them behind him so that he can lean back comfortably. As he leaned back and relaxed, he thought of the events that happened a while ago.

Kurapika remembered vividly everything that happened a while ago. He remembered how Kuroro spoke with concern and gentleness. He also remembered how the Genei Ryodan leader touched his forehead and informed him of his conditions. _"Strange... Could a man like him be really capable of being concern and gentle? No… that bastard's just keeping me alive because I am useful to him… Damn him!"_ he thought to himself. The Kuruta also remembered how his nemesis came so close to him and whispered to his ear. Kurapika's heartbeat hastened and he blushed furiously at this thought. He cursed himself for remembering such incident. He closed his eyes and shrugged the thought off and tried to relax himself. He drew a deep breath before opening his eyes again.

Kurapika turned his gaze at the door as he heard a soft knock. He frowned at the door as he sat up straight.

"_Damn bastard! Now he's knocking? What's he playing at?"_ Kurapika thought bitterly.

Instead of answering the door, Kurapika chose to stay silent and stare at the door. The knock was repeated several times more.

When the person on the other side of the door received no response after knocking several times, he turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door. He peered inside the room and saw a wide-eyed Kuruta sitting on the bed, staring at him.

Kurapika was shocked to see a young man's head with short brown hair peering at the small gap between the doors. He raised an inquisitive eyebrow as he stared at the man's eyes. The man suddenly walked into the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click. The man carried 3 different sizes of paper bags in his right hand. He smiled childishly at Kurapika as he nodded a greeting.

"Oh you're awake!" Shalnark said gleefully.

"Yes obviously." The blonde answered as he rolled his eyes.

"Where's Danchou?" the Spider tech-geek asked.

"I don't know and I don't care." Kurapika said coldly.

"Gee… you're so…" Shalnark paused in mid sentence as he tried to find the right words. Kurapika glared daggers at him and demanded him to continue. "What?" the blonde snapped at him.

Just when Shalnark was about to continue his sentence, the door opened again and Kuroro emerged from the double door holding a tray of food. The tray contained a bowl of porridge, fresh fruit slices, a glass of water and a glass of milk.

"Did you get everything?" Kuroro asked Shalnark as he paced towards Kurapika.

"Yes Danchou I've got everything here." The brown-haired man said cheerfully as he raised the paper bags and shook them happily.

"Thank you Shalnark." As Kuroro nodded at the tech-geek and placed the tray of food on top of one of the side tables. He handed Kurapika the bowl of porridge and a spoon. Kurapika was hesitant to take the bowl thinking that the Spider leader, his sworn enemy, was offering the food to him. His pride did not permit him to take the bowl of delicious-smelling porridge.

"Take it. You have to eat. I didn't put any poison in it." The ebony-haired man said.

Inside Kurapika's mind, war is already brewing. The war was between Kurapika's pride and hunger. The blonde battled within his mind about 'to take' or 'not to take'. His pride was telling him 'not to take' because Kuroro was first and foremost his mortal enemy. While on the other hand, his hunger was telling him 'to take' it because if not, he may not survive and live for another day, and he knows exactly what might happen if he died right there and then; his friends might be hunted down by the Phantom Brigade and he might not be able to kick Kuroro's ass. So eventually, his hunger won and he took the bowl from Kuroro's hand.

"Good." The Spider leader said as he took a chair and settled himself beside the bed. He nodded at the brown-haired man who was standing near the door. Without a word, Shalnark walked briskly towards Kuroro's side and handed his Danchou the paper bags.

"Here you are Danchou!" said the brown-haired man cheerfully, his usual smile plastered on his face.

"Any other orders?" Shalnark continued.

"Disperse…" Kuroro said curtly.

"…And Shalnark, Sell the treasures we've obtained from the last mission and tell the others that we'll assemble in Ryuusei-gai exactly 6 weeks from today." Kuroro continued.

"Oh so it's time for charity work Danchou?" Shalnark asked eagerly.

"Yes." The Spider leader said as he nodded at the tech-geek.

Shalnark's eyes burned with excitement as he turned to the door. He turned the knob and walked out of the room but he left the door ajar. A few moments later, Shalnark's head popped out of the space between the doors. "Hey Kuruta! Get well soon!" He said energetically as he smiled and waved goodbye to Kurapika. With that, Shalnark disappeared from view and the door closed with a soft thud.

Kurapika almost dropped the bowl he was holding when he heard Shalnark. "What's with him?" Kurapika asked nobody in particular as he eyed the door with confusion.

"He's in a very good mood." Kuroro said as he emptied the paper bags given to him a while ago.

"Charity work? What would a notorious, ruthless, cold-blooded group of killers and thieves know about charity work?" it was more of a statement than a question from the Kuruta.

"We know something about that. Occasionally, we do philanthropic works." Kuroro said as he watched Kurapika eat from the bowl of porridge.

"…Yeah right!" Kurapika said as he put another spoonful of porridge in his mouth. He continued to eat slowly. Kuroro handed him the glass of water and said, "Drink." He glared at Kuroro but nevertheless took the glass and drank from it.

"You wouldn't believe anything I say so it's no use explaining it to you." Said the Spider leader as he took the glass of water from Kurapika and placed it on top of one of the side tables.

"Of course! Why would I believe someone like you? Bastard!" Kurapika said as he rolled his eyes.

"Well, I am a killer and a thief but I am not a liar." Kuroro said calmly.

Kurapika found himself lost for words at the Spider head's statement. He wanted to spat harsh comments and words of resentment to the older man in front of him but he found no words. Sure, Kuroro was the brain behind the Kuruta tribe annihilation and other gruesome killing spree events. He is a ruthless killer and a master thief but Kurapika admitted bitterly to himself that Kuroro kept his end of the bargain with him; Kuroro kept Gon, Killua and Leorio alive and he let them go. Frustration washing over him, he gritted his teeth and clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white. He wanted to punch Kuroro so badly and send him down to the deepest chasm in hell. He closed his eyes and tried to relax. He knew better than to endanger his friends' lives. He pried open his eyes, avoided Kuroro's gaze and started to eat his porridge again.

He finished his bowl of porridge after a few more spoonfuls to his mouth. He shifted his position so that he is close to the side table. Kurapika placed the empty bowl on top of the table and leaned back against his pillows again. He turned towards the window. It was already dusk. The sky is beginning to darken. The last rays of the sun were only visible as a thin orange-crimson line at the end of the horizon. Stars started to scatter one by one and a bright crescent light adorned on the velvet black sky. He admired the stars and the moon so much he didn't notice an involuntary weak smile creeping to his delicate lips.

Kuroro studied at the blonde's features. He could only see a small part of the Kuruta's right side of face. He admired the Kuruta's long blonde hair and lithe features. He looked intently at Kurapika's face and saw the corner of the blonde's lips rise in a weak smile. His heart skipped a beat at the sight. He smiled and stared at Kurapika like the blonde was _his_ most priced treasure. _"Beautiful indeed. A priceless treasure. No… MY priceless treasure."_ He thought greedily.

After a few minutes of staring at the starry night sky, Kurapika felt tired; his eyelids are getting heavier by the second. He yawned then blinked trying to get rid of his sleepiness but his tiredness got the better of him. He sighed deeply the closed his eye and the next thing he knew, he was already off to dreamland.

Kuroro watched the blonde's figure go limp after a few minutes of staring at the sky. The Kuruta is leaning on a stack of pillows by the headboard. Kuroro stood from his chair and sat on the bed. He supported Kurapika's head and back as he reached for the stack of pillows behind the Kuruta. He removed the other pillows leaving a single one where he laid down Kurapika's head gently. The Spider leader shifted Kurapika's body so that it lay comfortably on the bed then he draped a blanket over the sleeping blonde. He then sat up, reached for a book on the side table then he paced to the other side of the room where a chair and sofa is positioned. As he glanced back at the sleeping Kuruta, a smile graced his handsome features. Kuroro sat comfortably on the sofa and started reading his book.

* * *

"Where's Danchou?" Feitan asked the brown-haired man who just arrived at their temporary hideout.

"Still at the hotel."

"What? Why did you leave him with that brat?" boomed Nobunaga as he paced towards Shalnark and grabbed the tech-geek's shirt collar.

Shalnark didn't struggle to free himself from the samurai's hold. He scratched a non-existent itch on the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "Danchou's orders Nobu." Shalnark said.

Nobunaga freed Shalnark and sat on the floor 8 feet away from the brown-haired man. "What's gotten into Danchou? That brat would attack Danchou if he gets a chance!" the ill-tempered samurai bellowed.

"No he wouldn't." Machi's steely voice said.

"Intuition?" asked Nobunaga.

"No. just a simple analysis you idiot! That Kuruta treasures his friends so much so he wouldn't do anything to endanger their lives." Machi said clearly irritated at Nobunaga's stupidity. Nobunaga is known in their group for being hot-headed, foul-tempered and strong. He wasn't really counted as one of the smart members. He is not completely an imbecile; he just lacks a lot of common sense and analysis most of the time. After all, he always preferred brawl over brains.

Nobunaga fingered the hilt of his sword, ready to unsheathe it anytime but Franklin tackled him and held the foul-tempered samurai between his massive hands. "He's right Nobu." Franklin said as he scurried away with Nobunaga on his hands kicking the air vigorously.

"Right about what? About Nobu being an idiot?" Feitan snickered.

"Shut up you twerp!" Nobunaga yelled angrily as he continued to kick, trying hard to break free from Franklin's hold. Feitan paid no attention to the Samurai's yell and he started to laugh loudly. Moments later, Phinx was already laughing with him.

"What are Danchou's orders?" Machi cut through the sound of laughing and yelling.

"Oh yeah about that. Danchou said we disperse for a while and we assemble at Ryuusei-gai exactly 6 weeks from now. I will be in charge of selling the treasures…" Shalnark announced.

"Oh so its time for charity work?" Shizuku asked.

"Yep!" Shalnark answered gleefully.

* * *

"Ugh… my neck hurts big time!" Leorio said as he sat up from his lying position. He managed to stand up and sit properly on the couch while massaging his nape.

"Ha! That only proves that you really are getting old pops!" Killua said with a toothy, teasing grin gracing his youthful features. Gon, on the other hand smiled sheepishly at Leorio while eating small pieces of chocolates.

"Hey! When would you stop teasing me you brats! Maybe you should stop eating chocolates to reduce your being too hyper! Geez. After all the body pain that we've been through, you two are really quick to recover." Leorio said, still massaging his painful neck.

"Because WE ARE YOUNG pops! Hahaha!" Killua said while laughing his head off.

"Sheesh. You wouldn't really stop will you?" as Leorio said this, he was already tackling the silver-haired boy. Both the doctor and the ex-assassin were engaged in a childish brawl. Gon watched them with amusement and he started cheering for Killua.

As the childish brawl came to an end, the tired trio sat on the floor or on the couch. Heavy breathing was audible in the rented hotel room. After a moment's silence, Gon suddenly spoke. "I wonder how Kurapika is holding up?" was the spiky-haired boy's question.

At hearing this, the trio was again engulfed by silence. They were deep in their own thoughts, thinking about their friend who sacrificed his freedom and his will to take revenge, to be able to save his friends.

"It will not be easy for him, but I know he'll make it. He'll come back. We couldn't do anything to save him right now. All we can do is to not waste his sacrifices, and try to live the life he wanted us to live." Killua stated as he stared at the room's ceiling.

"Yes, I guess so too. I don't want to make it any harder for Kurapika anymore." Gon voiced out immediately. "How about you Leorio, what do you think?" the spiky-haired boy asked as he turned towards the doctor.

"Well… with the way you two spoke about your sentiments, I think that YOU BOTH ARE GROWING OLDER! HAHAHA!" came Leorio's answer.

With that, the two children literally dived at the larger man and the three were once again engaged in a childishly-friendly rumble.

* * *

Kurapika stood in front of a familiar territory. He looked down from a hill where he was standing and saw a small village settled on a lush valley. The village is quite small. Several houses stood there. The blue sky and the sun light perfectly match the peacefulness of the place.

He started to feel nostalgic; _"My home."_ He mused. He smiled and started to pace towards the village. As Kurapika descended from the hill, he saw trees and shrubs and he recognized that he was entering the forest near the village. The light and warmth of the sun penetrates easily through the thin layer of tree branches and leaves. As he walked by, the birds chirped happily as though they were welcoming him. After walking a few minutes, he stopped on his tracks and looked around. _"I'm near the center of the forest."_ He noted. He turned left and saw a clearing, and just beyond the clearing, a huge oak tree stood; 12 meters high and 2 meters in diameter. He dashed towards the tree and came to a halt just a few feet away from it. He walked slowly and knelt a foot away from the tree. The blonde studied the huge tree as though he was looking for something. He placed his right hand on the trunk and started to feel the bark of the tree. His hand moved towards the right and stopped several inches away from where he first touched the trunk. Kurapika caressed the spot and felt some dents. He tilted his head and saw the intricate carvings on the tree trunk: sun and moon fused together as one and below it is a Lemniscate, symbol for infinity. The Kuruta fingered the carvings reverently as he closed his eyes and prayed silently to his ancestors.

After his prayer, he opened his eyes, stood up and backed away from the tree, his eyes fixed on the carvings_. "Father… Mother… Forgive me if I had to do this and I am sorry if I wouldn't be able to do your last wish… My grief is so great that right now, I only seek to avenge our tribe…"_ he muttered almost inaudibly. Kurapika bowed his head as respect and turned to the path where he came from. He sighed heavily and continued walking down the path towards his village.

* * *

**Notes:** wow it's been soooooooooo looooooooong since the last update.. I'M SOOOO SORRY..:)) needed time to accomplish my academic requirements..^_^ well here it is..:) the chapter 4..:) will try to update once a week..^_^ please leave your comments or suggestions..:))


End file.
